Locking means for cotton gin presses



April 5, 1932.

W. D. WILSON LOCKING MEANS FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES Filed April 25, 1930-2 Sheets-Sheet l amen 01;

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Patented Apr. 5, 1932 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM DORSETT WILSON, OF MEMPHIS,TENNESSEE LOCKING MEANS FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES Application filed Aprl25,

This invention relates to improvements in cotton presses; and moreparticularly, to locking and releasing means as applied to the pressbox.

The prime object is to provide means whereby the sides of the press boxwill be simultaneously released. As usually used, the press box will befilled with ginned cotton, and the same trumped so as to form a bale. Inorder to form the bale, it is, of

course, necessary to subject the cotton to intense pressure with theresult that if any one of the sides of the press box is released beforethe others, a lop-sided bale will. result, since the sudden release ofpressure on one side will force the cotton out on that side.

Numerous attempts have been made to solve this problem; but I believe mydevice is far simpler and less complicated than any heretofore placed onthe market.

Another object is to provide the simplest adequate structure that willrelease the sides simultaneously, and at the same time, give adequatesecuring means.

Other objects will be disclosed in the spccification and drawings,forming a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan of the device in locked position with partsbroken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of construction shown in Figure 1 Figure 3is a View similar to Figure 1, showing a portion of the press inunlocked position;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary section taken on line .li of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the locking mechanism in lockedposition; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section on line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are designated withsimilar numerals:

Numeral 7 designates a press box having collapsible sides 8, 9, 10 and11, hingedly connected to a base, not shown, in the usual manner. Theends 9 and 11 carry channel irons 12 having overlapping ends 13, withcut away portions let to receive dogs 15. Site 8 has secured thereto abolster member 16 1930. Serial No. 147,3163.

having rotatably secured at its outer ends the dogs 15. Bolts 17, inaddition to acting as securing members for the bolster plate 16 serve asstop members for the dogs 15. The dogs 15 have ears 18 which act asbearings for arms 19, which are secured in place by nuts 20 and 21.Loops 22 are formed in one end of the arms 19 and are connected to rods23 by way of similar loops 2 1 which pass through loops 22. The ends ofrods 23 are curved to form lingers 25. A worm screw 26 operated by awheel 27 is mounted on the front side 10. The worm screw 26 is mountedon a shaft 28, the shaft 28 being mounted in bearings 29 and the wheel27 secured to one end of the shaft 28.

Ratchet faced cams 30 are mounted on the face of the front side 10, saidearns 30 being adapted to co-act with the worm screw 26. Links 31 aresecured to the front outer edge of said cams 30 at 32, the opposite endsof links 31 being pivotally secured at 32 to levers 33, which in turn,are pivotally mounted on the face of the side 10 at 34, the levers 33having shoulders 35 which contact with dogs 36. Hooks 39 are also formedintegrally with the links 33 to receive the fingers 25, said dogs 36being pivotally mounted at 37 adjacent the front corners of the box 7and having lips 38 adapted to contact with the cut-away portions 13 ofthe side channel irons 12.

As actually operated, the sides 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the box will besecured in place and the box 7 filled with cotton. The cotton will thenbe tramped until the usual bale is formed, and it is desired to removethe bale from the press. The wheel 27 is then rotated in a clockwisedirection which causes the cams 30 to be rotated so that links 31 willbe forced away 9 from each other, thus operating levers 33 to throwshoulders 35 out of contact with the dogs 36.

Since there is an outward pressure exerted on all sides equally due tothe pressure of the cotton, and since the securing means are releasedthe sides, of course, will fly open. As soon as the retaining means forthe sides 9, and 11 have been released, since the shoulders 85 have beenrotated out of contact with the 109 dogs 36, the only securing meansleft for retaining the sides in locked position are the fin ers 25.

owever, as the levers 33 were rotated as stated, the hooks 39 wererotated out of engagement with the fingers 25 and since the rods 23carrying the fingers 25 are connected loosely by loops Qt, theyimmediately dropped downwardly out of the way. Since all the securingmeans have now been released, the sides 8, 9, 10 and 11 simultaneouslyburst open so that the bale of cotton may be removed.

In order to lock the box, the sides 8, 9, 10 and 11 are rotated intoplace, the dogs 36 are rotated until the lips 38 contact with thecut-away portions 14 of the channel irons 12 and rods 23'lifted andfingers 25 placed in engagement with the hooks 39, the wheel 27 havingbeen rotated in the meantime until the hooks 39 are in position'tolightly engage the fingers 25. The wheel 25 is then rotated in acounter-clockwise direction until all the sides are securely locked inposition ready to receive the cotton.

It is obvious that I have produced a structure which is simple butextremely efiicient to accomplish my aims.

WVhat I claim is:

1. Ina press box for cotton having collapsible sides consisting offront, back, and end walls, arms secured to the back side and extendingtherefrom along the adjacent end members, dogs pivotally mounted on thefront side for holding the end members in closed position, linkspivotally mounted on the front side having shoulders to contact withsaid dogs and fingers to contact with said arms, other arms connected tosaid links and extending therefrom. ratchet faced cams connected to thelast mentioned arms and screw-thread ed means to operate said ratchetfaced cams.

2. In a cotton press having collapsible sides, arms pivotally secured toone side and extending from the opposite ends thereof along theadjacent. opposite sides, rods pivoted to the ends of said arms andhaving hooks formed on their free ends, levers pivoted on the remainingside and having lugs engaging said hooks, and means mounted on saidremaining side for moving said levers to control the engagement of saidlugs with said hooks.

3. In a cotton press having collapsible sides, arms pivotally secured toone of said sides and extending from the opposite ends thereof, rodspivoted to said arms and having hooks formed on their free ends,levers'pivoted on the remaining side and having lugs engaging saidhooks, links pivotally connected to said levers, and means on saidremaining side for moving said links to control the engagement of saidlugs with said hooks.

4. In a cotton press having collapsible sides, arms pivotally secured tothe opposite ends of one of said sides, rods pivoted to said arms andhaving hooks formed on their free ends, levers pivoted on the remainingside and having lugs engageable with said hooks, and means forsimultaneously moving said levers to eflect engagement thereof with saidhooks. V

5. In a cotton press having collapsible sides, jointed arms pivotallysecured to the opposite ends of one of said sides and having hooksformed on the free ends of said arms, levers pivoted on the remainingside and having lugs adapted to be moved into and out of engagement withsaid hooks, and means on said remaining side for simultaneously movingsaid levers to control the engagement of the lugs with said hooks.

6. In a cotton press having. collapsible sides, jointed arms pivotallysecured to the opposite ends of one of said sides'and having hooksformedon the free ends thereof, levers pivotally mounted on the remaining sideand having lugs adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with saidhooks, means mounted on said remaining side adjacent to said lever forretaining the adjacent-sides in closed position against said remainingsides, and means on said remaining sides for simultaneously operatingsaid levers and said retaining means.

7. In a cotton press having collapsible sides, arms pivotallysecured tothe opposite ends of one of said sides, rods pivotally connected to theends of said arms and having hooks formed on the free ends thereof,linkage mechanisms mounted on said remaining side and having a part ofeach adapted to engage said hooks, and means rotatable about" an axisperpendicular to said remaining s1 de for simultaneously operatmg saidmechamsms.

sides, arms pivotally secured to one side thereof and extending alongthe opposite ends of the adjacent sides beyond the remaining side,locking levers pivotally mounted on the remaining side for lockingengagement with said arms, and means rotatable. on said remaining sideabout an axis perpendicular thereto for simultaneously operating saidlevers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM DORSETT WILSON.

8. In a cotton press having collapsible

